Grille badges typically are decorative elements located to the front ends of vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks, busses, and the like). They often are connected to, or formed as a part of, a vehicle's grille. Grille badges have been made from metal, plastic, and other materials.
Some design approaches for manufacturing grille badges have involved producing more than one member that are then assembled. This approach results reduces the manufacturing time required with respect to creating the individual members to be assembled and also sometimes reduces the amount of waste caused by fashioning the grille badge from a single member.
Although the approach of assembling grille badges from two or more members has represented an improvement in terms of design manufacturing, further improvements are still possible. Currently, when multiple members are provided for a single grille badge, the separate elements have to be connected in some way. One way that the multiple members are connected involves taping and/or heat-staking processes. Unfortunately, these techniques require physical labor for assembly, and the security of the connection between the two members often is a concern. Indeed, when tapes or other adhesives are used, the members may separate and/or even fall apart.
Another approach to assembling the separate elements involves providing a series of interlocking features between the several members. However, the somewhat rigid elements that are to comprise the grille badge generally have to be bent and/or torqued into place. Thus, mechanical stresses are introduced to the product. This requires additional manual labor and time during assembly, and often produces waste caused by one or more of the individual pieces being broken or bent into an unusable form.
A modestly successful vehicle may sell approximately 650,000 units. As such, the time and money considerations associated with the manufacturing and assembly of such grille badges are non-trivial.
Thus, it will be appreciated that there is a need in the art for an improved grille badge and/or methods of making the same.
In certain example embodiments of this invention, a method of making a grille badge for a vehicle is provided. An outer member including at least two channels formed therein and at least two outer member snap features formed thereon is provided. An inner member including a living hinge extending horizontally or vertically across the inner member is provided. At least two tabs and at least two inner member snap features are formed on the inner member. Each tab of the inner member is inserted into each respective channel of the outer member such that the inner member is out of position with respect to the outer member at the living hinge thereof. A force is applied to the inner member proximate to the living hinge so as to bend the inner member into position with respect to the outer member and further to engage corresponding snap features of the inner and outer members. The plurality of snap features formed on the inner member and/or the outer member and/or the tabs and channels are arranged so as to provide a secure connection between the inner member and the outer member, free from secondary fasteners therebetween.
In certain example embodiments of this invention, there is provided a method of making a grille badge for a vehicle, the method comprising: providing an outer member including at least two channels formed therein and at least two outer member snap features formed thereon; providing a polymer-based inner member including a living hinge extending across at least part of the inner member; providing on the inner member at least two tabs and at least two inner member snap features; inserting the tabs of the inner member into the respective channels of the outer member such that the inner member is bent about the living hinge so that the living hinge of the inner member is spaced apart from and thus out of position with respect to the outer member; applying force to the inner member in order to bend the inner member about the living hinge into position with respect to the outer member, the living hinge being located adjacent the outer member after application of said force, and wherein said force further causes the snap features of the inner and outer members to engage with each other; and wherein the snap features of the inner member and/or the outer member, and the tabs and channels, provide a substantially secure connection between the inner member and the outer member.
In certain example embodiments, a method of making a grille badge for a vehicle is provided. An outer member is injection molded so as to include two upper channels, two lower channels, and two outer member snap features. An inner member is injection molded so as to include at two upper tabs, two lower tabs, and two inner member snap features. A living hinge is formed from the inner member such that the living hinge extends horizontally or vertically across the inner member. Each upper tab of the inner member is inserted into each respective upper channel of the outer member, and each lower tab of the inner member is inserted into each respective lower channel of the outer member, so that the inner member is out of position with respect to the outer member at least at the living hinge thereof. The inner member is bent proximate to the living hinge to force the inner member into position with respect to the outer member and further to engage corresponding snap features of the inner and outer members.
In certain example embodiments, a grille badge for a vehicle is provided. An outer member includes at least two channels formed therein and at least two outer member snap features formed thereon. An inner member includes a living hinge extending horizontally or vertically across the inner member, at least two tabs, and at least two inner member snap features. Each tab of the inner member is insertable into a respective channel of the outer member so that the inner member is at least initially out of position with respect to the outer member at the living hinge thereof. The inner member is bendable at the living hinge thereof so as to bend into position with respect to the outer member and to engage corresponding snap features of the inner and outer members in response to a force applied to the inner member proximate to the living hinge thereof. The plurality of snap features of the inner member and/or the outer member, and/or the tabs and channels are arranged so as to provide a secure connection between the inner member and the outer member free from secondary fasteners therebetween.
In certain example embodiments, a grille badge for a vehicle is provided. An injection molded plastic outer member includes two upper channels and two lower channels formed therein, and at least two outer member snap features formed thereon. An injection molded plastic inner member includes a living hinge extending horizontally or vertically across the inner member, two upper tabs, two lower tabs, and at least two inner member snap features. Each upper tab of the inner member is insertable into a respective upper channel of the outer member and each lower tab of the inner member is insertable into a respective lower channel of the outer member so that the inner member is at least initially out of position with respect to the outer member at the living hinge thereof. The inner member is bendable at the living hinge thereof so as to bend into position with respect to the outer member and to engage corresponding snap features of the inner and outer members in response to a force applied to the inner member proximate to the living hinge thereof.
In certain example embodiments, a vehicle comprising a grille including a grille badge is provided. The grille badge comprises an outer member including at least two channels formed therein and at least two outer member snap features formed thereon; and an inner member including a living hinge extending horizontally or vertically across the inner member, at least two tabs, and at least two inner member snap features. Each tab of the inner member is insertable into a respective channel of the outer member so that the inner member is at least initially out of position with respect to the outer member at the living hinge thereof. The inner member is bendable at the living hinge thereof so as to bend into position with respect to the outer member and to engage corresponding snap features of the inner and outer members in response to a force applied to the inner member proximate to the living hinge thereof. The plurality of snap features of the inner member and/or the outer member, and/or the tabs and channels are arranged so as to provide a secure connection between the inner member and the outer member free from secondary fasteners therebetween.
The features, aspects, advantages, and example embodiments described herein may be combined to realize yet further embodiments.